The 2005 Bordeaux are Coming

THE 2005 BORDEAUX WINES ARE COMING!

It's doubtful that wine lovers will be following the example of iPhone fans and camping out on the sidewalks in anticipation of the 2005 Bordeaux release at Marquis Wine Cellars this September 13th. Although once inside, serious shoppers could find that credit card damage for a recent bottle of Premiere Cru is similar. Price tags on the highly touted 2005 vintage sampled at a recent press preview ranged from $46 for a Cambon La Pelouse all the way up to $500 for an already lush and complex 2005 Chateau Palmer. (With most labels falling into the $150 - $300 range.)

And as with iPhones, anxiety as to whether there will be enough product to go around won’t be without foundation. Even though the boxes currently piled up in owner John Clerides’ small office makes it look like a set from a Marx Bros movie, he has but a mere one to six bottles from some of the most famous wine houses, and only a limited amount of cases for even his biggest allocations. Unlike Apple however, who can always crank out a million or so more cell phones to meet demand, whatever juice is now sealed in the 2005 bottles is all we are ever going to get.

Are they worth the extra change? Well, famous wine critic Robert Parker thinks so. He says the 2005 should turn out to be the “Vintage of the Century”, even though we had five or so of those in the previous centennial and are only eight years into the current one.

There is no doubt that beyond their noble lineage and prestigious names, these wines can claim an impressive amount of expensively produced artisan quality. As winebroker and Bordeaux resident, Jeffrey Davies, a guest at the press tasting, explained to his audience, such wineries as Chateau Pontet-Canet of Pauillac plan to replace their diesel-guzzling tractors next year with an ancient tool for vineyard maintenance – horse-pulled, wooden carts. (The horses’ hooves being much less damaging to the aeration of the soil beneath the vines than the heavy wheels of the machines.)

John Clerides makes an annual trip to to France in order to sample the new wine while it is still in barrel stage so he can base his futures order decisions on his own expert taste and personal experience. If you are interested in snagging some 2005 reds or Sauternes for your cellar from him, then here’s the drill:

All wines will be sold at the Marquis event on a first come, first serve basis and no wines will be pre-sold. However …

Tickets are now on sale for an exclusive tasting event that will take place on September 13th from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. (prior to the shop opening its doors to the public for the sale). Only 110 of these tickets priced at $39 will be issued, but holding one will bump you to the head of the checkout line. And here’s the sweet part -- the cost will be refunded if your wine purchases total more than $400, which considered what we just discussed, may only amount to a single bottle.

While you are in there, you also get first grabs on the 2003 vintage Bordeaux which will be marked down 10 percent for clearance. (John does need to see his desk again.)

To reserve a ticket email jonellison@marquis-wines.com. Call 604-684-0445. Or get up early for a sidewalk spot at 1034 Davie Street.

Wives remember this date … and if your man’s golf bag seems unusually heavy and makes suspicious clinking noises when he gets home, you’ll know what’s up.